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UK Government: Protecting the consumer at heart of future for media
services in the UK
(M2 PressWIRE Via Acquire Media NewsEdge)
RDATE:25072008
Plans to regulate video-on-demand services and product placement on
British television are set out in a consultation document published by
Culture Secretary Andy Burnham today.
The proposals are part of a comprehensive consultation on how the UK
should implement the EU Audio Visual Media Services (AVMS) Directive.
The Directive includes both compulsory and optional elements, some of
which are expected to lead to new legislation.
The Directive updates EU minimum standards on scheduled television
services. It also for the first time brings in common standards for
video-on-demand services.
Secretary of State Andy Burnham said:
"Preserving standards must be the guiding principles as we look to the
media of the future. We need to ensure that traditional protections
against inappropriate content and advertising standards are secured as
technology advances.
"While citizens embrace the opportunities offered by massively
increased choice of content, and can watch on demand on TVs, online or
phones, it's right that the same standards apply.
"My instincts remain that if we were to relax the ban on product
placement we would put at risk the integrity in British programming
that underpins its international reputation. But I'm open to hearing
other views. If, as some in the industry are saying, this is a crucial
step for broadcasters, then the industry must marshal strong arguments
and put forward a convincing case.
"These proposals are designed to protect the consumer without causing
unnecessary burden on industry. Media regulation in the UK has been
effective in offering safeguards and at the same time, workable for
broadcasters. We want to keep that balance."
The consultation focuses on the Government's proposals on three
specific issues in the Directive. These are:
- product placement in television and video-on-demand services
- introducing a system for regulating video-on-demand services in the
UK
- and controls over the content of non-EU satellite channels which are
uplinked from a ground station in the UK.
The AVMS Directive states that all EU member states must prohibit
product placement, but they may decide to allow certain exemptions.
Currently product placement is banned on any UK made programmes. The
Government has already said its initial view is not to change this.
The consultation document however sets out the arguments for and
against, and seeks views from both sides.
Under the Directive the UK also has an obligation to ensure its
video-on-demand services meet new cross-EU standards. It encourages
Member States to seek a 'co-regulatory' solution in which the system of
regulation is owned and run by the video-on-demand industry, but with
backup powers for Government or a national authority such as Ofcom to
intervene if need be. The consultation seeks views on a number of
different options designed to achieve this.
AVMS will also give the UK new responsibility under EU law for the
content of a small number of non-EU satellite TV channels which legally
broadcast into Europe from ground stations in Britain. New legislation
is required to allow Ofcom to exercise this responsibility and the
document sets out some options to consider.
The consultation runs for three months and closes on 31 October, 2008.
Notes to editors
1. The consultation document can be found at:
http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/consultations/5309.aspx
2. The AVMS Directive came into force in December 2007. The UK and all
other Member States have until December 2009 to implement it in their
domestic law. It revises and updates the existing Television Without
Frontiers (TVWF) Directive, which was adopted in 1989 and amended in
1997.
3. The consultation concerns three parts of the Directive that require
changes to the law in the UK. Other parts, which do not require changes
to UK law, are not discussed in the consultation document in any
detail. These are
* an enhancement to existing procedures under which a Member State can
raise concerns about television broadcasts from another Member State
which do not comply with the first Member State's own domestic rules;
and
* relaxations in EU rules about the amount of advertising which may be
shown on television and about the timing of ad breaks. Ofcom are
consulting separately about the possible consequences of this for TV
advertising in the UK.
4. The Directive also allows TV broadcasters to use short extracts of
other broadcasters' exclusive coverage of sports and other major events
to use in news reports. The Government is considering this separately
from other AVMS issues and there will be an announcement later.
5. Further information about the TVWF and AVMS Directives is available
on the European Commission's website at
http://www.ec.europa.eu/avpolicy/reg/avms/index_en.htm
2-4 Cockspur Street London SW1Y 5DH
CONTACT: Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Tel: +44 (0)207 211 6200
WWW: http://www.culture.gov.uk
((M2 Communications Ltd disclaims all liability for information
provided within M2 PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties.
Further information on M2 PressWIRE can be obtained at
http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web. Inquiries to
info@m2.com)).
Copyright ? 2008 M2 Communications Ltd.
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